§ 44 and 48. Mr. MUFFasked the Minister of Agriculture (1) what are the grounds upon which he has given permission to the Beverley Racecourse Company, a private company formed to carry on the business of horse racing, to exclude the public from their rights of access over a portion of the pasture of Hurn on seven days in the year; and whether the company makes any payment out of their profits for this privilege;
(2) whether, in view of the fact that the Beverley Common Pastures Regulation Act, 1836, gave to the public the free right of access for all time to the pasture of Hum, he will state by what authority he now denies the public complete free access thereto; and whether, in view of the law recently declared by the Lord Chief Justice in Rex v. the Minister of Health, his consent given to the Beverley Racecourse Company in defeasance will now be withdrawn?
§ Mr. ELLIOTMy consent to the fencing of the pasture of Hum during seven days in the year was given under Section 194 of the Law of Property Act, 1925, on the ground of the general benefit that might be expected to accrue therefrom, since the upkeep of the pasture is dependent to a large extent upon the rent of £200 per annum which is received by the pasture masters from the Beverley Racecourse Company. As stated in reply to a question by the hon. Member on 9th March last, no consideration was demanded or given for the consent. I would remind the hon. Member that horse races have been. held on the pasture of Hurn for at least 200 years, and the Act of 1836 to which he refers provided merely for a right of access to the pasture as free as that which had been previously permitted. I therefore see no ground for withdrawing 382 my consent to the temporary fencing of the pasture.
§ Mr. MUFFIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that by his action he has handed over a sum of £955 per annum to a handful of the directors of this racecourse company without any consideration at all to the citizens and ratepayers of Beverley?
§ Mr. ELLIOTNo objections whatever were received to the application except one petition signed by 127 persons, and the Commons Preservation Society, whom I consulted before granting the application, did not offer any opposition.
§ Mr. MUFFOwing to the unsatisfactory nature of the reply, I beg to give notice that I shall raise this matter on the Adjournment.